Dec 7 2011:
My wish for City 2.0 is that every vacant communal space be planted with fruit trees and the resulting fruit isfreely available to citizens to enjoy in season. Much better than obsolete flower beds

Dec 11 2011:
Let's define City 2.0
It is a global community and movement that rewards positive action through virtual and personal human interaction.
Its currency is a better world that embraces education, human rights, sustainable energy, sustainable food supplies, universal housing and conservation of natural resources
Its wealth is based in ensuring all of its citizens have the same standard of living, no matter where they live
Its citizens are all held to the same level of responsibility to the community, both globally and locally.
It moves to act nimbly and immediately to address any situation or violation of its charter
It is self governing through it virtual nature.
Culture and differences are not feared, but embraced.
While this begins as a virtual entity, the citizens of City 2.0 can determine the outcome of elections and policy on a local and global scale, as it represents the populous voice, as history shows, cannot be suppressed by any means.
The main benefit of citizenship is taking control of our world, our fate, our destiny, and create a society whose values and laws are truly those of its people
Tom.

I truly the notion of City 2.0 and that it's the Ted Dream for 2012. I have been looking with anticipation on how to submit a view of a similar stance to voice options that are often overshadowed by personal greed rather than opting for quite often a more profitable option that is better for us all.

In recent weeks I have been in-touch with MIT in regards to there Compressed air car and some knowledge I learned over a decade ago on how to make a car run efficiently off compressed air, but how not to interfere with the weather system by reducing pressure or increasing pressure as you compress or release air.

What I see in the city, is a map of many integrated pieces drawn up from a thousand proposals over the years to Companies, local Government and Government in general. If I was to pick any city right now, the plan's would vary dependant on there own reassesses and adaptability to the needs of there citizens.

Say one choose is Walnut Creek and another is Crawley, both home towns of sort to me. Both would benefit from using auto-guided trams like the Phileas busses that are used now in Washington DC and many other places. (I kind of wish Sanpalo is South America would change to them as they already have built a effective transport mechanism. Only to use fossil fuels in there public transport. IF Sanpalo was to use Rape Seed oil (not the kind the Petrol Chemical groups have demonstrated with, but the type approved by the US EPA in the 1990's under the tag of Miracle fuel for the 21st century), the Bitter variety. They could off set a large amount of ultra fine particles the ones that help cause Asthma (I am a chronic sufferer myself) and more importantly remove a chemical additive used to reduce engine knocking called Backstraw. Backstraw was used to replace Lead during the 2nd world war and is known as a irritant chemical and a carsogen when heated, falling under the definition as Hazardous to health.

Dec 7 2011:
Tim, I believe that the contest for the City 2.0 is to place the $100,000 toward the best idea to being able to incite a City 2.0. That would demand that one a) describe what City 2.0 and b) describe a way to incite it that TED thinks is awesome.

Dec 12 2011:
I was thinking, probably one reason for insomnia :0) I was thinking about City 2.0 and the masses of complexity I can put into the city to make it good. But I remembered advice given to me by a mentor of sorts. His advice and inspirational views got me into being aware and making a difference at the age of 7, collecting used newspapers on behalf of 5th Scouts Crawley. The more we collected the more was raised for the troop. I have seen the same view when approaching a complex recycling problem, but sometimes it's more down to education than anything else.

So whilst thinking, It struck me that one of the biggest problems, a really big issue that can be seen on TV, on the radio and in publications is fear, doom and gloom all scaremongering towards our own demise in less than 5 years. The problem with that is it detracts from what can be done to live life to the max without a care. I believe this is the wrong way to address this.

Seeing the news, maybe an hour ago, and seeing the focus on the delegates who are a sleep on desks and assessing there impact with a carbon cost for just breathing is no help, nor is seeing how initiatives aimed at teaching or offering solutions are being squandered on other projects.

The reality is that we have at best maybe 5 years to make a difference, it will take around 50 years to start reversing the carbon / methane other climate contaminants from the planet. We need to educate people on what can be done and on how a small change can make a huge difference. Understanding fuel for example can be the difference between making and breaking City 2.0 If we go clean sky's by clean scrubbing aircraft's yellow exhaust. We will make things worse, but by switching to bitter rape seed, we can still reflect heat away and reduce our carbon foot print.

But this has to come from the right & correct education, not outlandish quick fixes.

Here's a thought starter... What If... we developed 2.0 virtual citizenship now. What would we desire as citizens? and then what the "benefits" of citizenship ? and then maybe... establish citizens ? a thought...

For the first time in the history of the TED prize, it is being awarded not to an individual, but to an idea. It is an idea upon which our planet’s future depends.

The 2012 TED Prize is awarded to….the City 2.0. The City 2.0 is the city of the future… a future in which more than ten billion people on planet Earth must somehow live sustainably.The City 2.0 is not a sterile utopian dream, but a real-world upgrade tapping into humanity’s collective wisdom. The City 2.0 promotes innovation, education, culture, and economic opportunity.

The City 2.0 reduces the carbon footprint of its occupants, facilitates smaller families, and eases the environmental pressure on the world’s rural areas. The City 2.0 is a place of beauty, wonder, excitement, inclusion, diversity, life.

The City 2.0 is the city that works.

The TED Prize grants its winner $100,000 and “one wish to change the world.” How will this prize be accepted on behalf of the City 2.0? Through visionary individuals around the world who are advocating on its behalf.

I think the historical tie breaker is, this moment in time and TED. the former meaning, the world is in intense high need, economic downturn, real sustainability issues, global interdependance, and yet, unprecedented connectivity/ communication. ADD to this the synergy and brain trust of TED... it's a most amazing time to be alive and focussed on how to live differently on this round mobile home....